My heart pounds as the hybrid V6 motor roars behind me, and I instinctively grip the accelerator pedal. In that brief moment, I almost lose control and veer towards the barriers. But with a swift movement of the wheel, I regain control, shift gears, and continue my journey through the treacherous Eau Rouge corner at the famous Spa-Francorchamps circuit. As I navigate the twists and turns, my adrenaline surges, and I can hardly believe what I’m experiencing.
But here’s the catch – I’m not actually in a Formula One car, and this isn’t a real race. I’m seated in the DMG-1 Motorsport simulator, located at Dynisma’s office near Bristol, England. This simulator has been hailed as the most advanced and realistic in the world, and now I understand why.
Before my encounter with the DMG-1, I’ve had the privilege of testing other simulators, including the one used by the Mercedes-AMG F1 team, and Base Performance Simulators run by Le Mans winner Darren Turner. While those simulators were impressive, Dynisma’s technology sets itself apart in one crucial aspect – latency. Other simulators have a delay of 30 to 40 milliseconds, meaning there is a noticeable lag between the car’s reaction to a given input and the driver’s experience of it. This can be detrimental for race drivers who rely on split-second reactions. In contrast, the DMG-1 boasts a latency of only three to five milliseconds, significantly reducing the gap and allowing for more natural and instinctive driving.
According to Ash Warne, CEO and chief engineer at Dynisma, this low latency enables drivers to push the car to its limits, responding to unforeseen challenges with precision. Unlike other simulators that artificially introduce understeer into the vehicle model, Dynisma’s simulator delivers a more realistic experience, closely resembling real-life driving conditions on the racetrack.
Building on a unique blend of hardware and software, Dynisma’s DMG-1 has caught the attention of esteemed customers like Ferrari. The Italian F1 team sought Dynisma’s expertise and acquired their simulator in 2021, recognizing the invaluable advantages it offers in terms of training and development.
Now, as I sit in the carbon fiber tub of the DMG-1, surrounded by a vast projection of the virtual world, I’m immersed in the experience. The realistic steering wheel adorned with buttons and switches rests in my hands, and the seating position gives me a sense of being at one with the car. With a helmet equipped with a headset and microphone, I communicate with the engineer, constantly apologizing for my novice crashes and the system restarts they necessitate.
Powering the DMG-1 are ten high-performance computers, each tasked with specific functions like graphics rendering, physics calculations, and hardware control. The seamless communication between these computers occurs a staggering 4,000 times per second, enabling smooth and immersive gameplay.
The carbon tub, mounted on a platform capable of movement in six directions, simulates the forces experienced by a real car. This ingenious setup replicates not only the acceleration and braking forces but also the heave, roll, pitch, and yaw of a Formula One machine. While it may not match the extreme straight-line acceleration and G-forces of an actual F1 car, the DMG-1 offers a truly formidable experience – physically and mentally demanding.
After hours of driving, my hands are blistered, and my legs can no longer press the brake pedal with the same force. The sheer intensity of the simulator has taken its toll, and I’m in desperate need of a break.
But the DMG-1 has one more surprise in store for me. This time, I find myself in a generic street car, its make and model undisclosed. The virtual proving ground presents different road surfaces, and I’m particularly interested in navigating the speed bumps and Belgian cobblestone sections. The authenticity is uncanny, with the simulator precisely replicating the vibrations and movements I would expect in reality.
This versatility of the DMG-1 paves the way for an alternative application – assisting car manufacturers in their development process. With vehicle development relying heavily on digital simulations, Dynisma’s simulators offer a valuable tool for fine-tuning ride comfort, suspension characteristics, and interior ergonomics. Leading car manufacturers like Volkswagen have already embraced similar simulators and virtual reality headsets to optimize their designs before investing in physical prototypes.
Before bidding farewell to the DMG-1, I’m treated to one final experience – driving an F1 car through the iconic Monaco circuit. Equipped with a mixed reality headset from Finnish company Varjo, I’m taken even deeper into the realm of virtual reality. Tiny screens within the headset provide a live view of my hands on the steering wheel, creating a surreal yet captivating blend of real and virtual worlds.
Sources:
www.dynisma.com
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